On line accredited college degree

The Higher Education Coordinating (HEC) Board of the state of Washington issued on March 9, 2000, a Certificate of Authorization to Kepler College of Astrological Arts and Sciences--located in Lynnwood, Washington, just outside of Seattle--to offer degree programs in Bachelor of Arts in Astrological Studies, Master of Arts in Astrological Counseling, and Masters of Arts in Astrological Studies.

"The founding of the college will lead to heightened public respect and expectations of what astrology is capable of providing to the full spectrum of society," Enid Newberg, president of the new college, said in a news release when the state authorization was finally granted.

According to Newberg, thirty-one students enrolled in July 2000 for Kepler's first term of all-Web-based classes--about half the number Kepler expected, according to its application to the HEC Board. Their ages ranged from seventeen to seventy-one and were geographically spread throughout the United States and other countries. Kepler's third term, which ended in the summer of 2001, began with twenty students. Newberg says thirteen new students and eighteen returning students are attending next academic year, about one quarter of the 119 students expected by Kepler's Board. Newberg expects enrollments to increase once the masters program gets underway.

The first year BA curriculum starts with courses in the history of astrology, such as Astrology in Medieval Civilization, which covers astrology in its religious and cultural contexts from the beginning of the Christian Era through the European Renaissance; mathematics used in astronomical/astrological observations and celestial navigation; and the relationship between astrology, the sciences, and the Christian, Islamic, and pagan philosophies of the medieval period. The students are offered BA tracks of study. My favorite is called Astrology and the New Sciences. It includes topics such as chaos theory and fractal mathematics, applying whole systems theory and holography to astrology, relativity and the unified field theory and its relationship to astrology, and the basics of quantum theory and its potential relationship to astrology.

Kepler's application for degree authorization to the state of Washington stresses a cross-disciplinary liberal arts curriculum that weaves astrology into history, math, and science courses. These materials and their Web site (www.kepler.edu) hint at a broader agenda: to legitimize astrology. Promotional materials on the Web clearly state this agenda with comments such as "Kepler College will provide an academic setting for accurate and objective research projects by those who are well-versed in astrology, countering less-than-accurate and biased research conclusions from other less informed academicians."

Washington's authorization of degree programs in astrology gives Kepler College an air of legitimacy that Kepler will use to expand the prominence of astrology. Kepler's Web site states, "Kepler College will provide a broader acceptance for the use of astrology in a wide range of businesses and professions. Kepler College will provide an honorable place for astrology in society now that standards are defined, just as psychology, chiropractic, naturopathic, naturopathic healthcare, and acupuncture have gained respect." Kepler administrators believe that their new status can garner additional funding. "Kepler College will provide the higher education setting necessary to receive government and private grant money for research and scholarships."

Kepler's masters program offers a degree in counseling. The Web site states, "This program focuses on the accepted theory and practice in psychological and philosophical counseling and advising and how astrology can be used as an integral component of any counseling practice. This study is designed as comparable to a Master's in Social Work with an emphasis in Counseling." Does this imply that a graduate from Kepler College can set up a private counseling practice? The state of Washington did not consider this aspect of Kepler's degree program or its implications in their Letter of Authorization.

Newberg laments that there are many critics of Kepler College. John Silber, chancellor of Boston University wrote an op-ed piece for the Boston Globe, "Silliness under Seattle Stars" (May 16, 2001), strongly criticizing Washington for authorizing Kepler's degree programs. "The simple existence of Kepler College is worth little comment," wrote Silber. "Where there are humans, there will be folly, and institutions to advance it. But Kepler College claims that it is 'the only college of astrology in the Western Hemisphere authorized to issue BA and MA degrees.' This authorization does not come from the National Association of Astrologers, Witch Doctors, and Soothsayers. To the contrary, Kepler is accredited by the Higher Education Coordinating Board of the state of Washington. Thus, this board used the power of the law to make Kepler the peer of the University of Washington."

Hardly anyone would claim that the HEC Board's actions makes Kepler College the peer of the University of Washington. Many institutions in the state are authorized by the HEC Board, and their perceived quality covers a broad spectrum. While Washington state's "authorization" may appear to endorse astrology, the HEC Board points out that authorization is independent of accreditation. In correspondence between the HEC Board and Kepler College, the HEC Board clearly requires Kepler College to not use the term "accredited." Any implication of accreditation is grounds for the HEC Board to repeal authorization. Kepler College therefore walks a fine line when its Web site reads, "Astrology Regains Academic Standing."

So what does Washington state mean by authorization? According to Karen Oelschlager, an administrative assistant at the Higher Education Coordinating Board, all educational institutions must meet minimum administrative requirements such as showing guidelines for administration and governance and having clear documentation spelling out program requirements, faculty qualifications, and admission requirements. In addition, the institution must provide academic support resources, financial resources, and catalogs that provide full disclosure of programs, policies and procedures to potential students.

Says Oelschlager: "The decision to authorize an institution or deny an institution for authorization must be based solely on whether the Revised Code of Washington (RCW) and Washington Administrative Code (WAC) requirements have been met by an institution. Authorization by the Higher Educational Coordinating Board means that a degree-granting institution can operate within the state. Authorization is not an endorsement by the Higher Education Coordinating Board of an institution, a program offered by the institution, or the contents of a program. Potential students and employers determine the 'value' of a degree program offered by any institution."

This past summer marked the first anniversary of Kepler College, whose authorization is up for renewal on March 9, 2002. Supporters are hopeful that the establishment of a college that hands out diplomas in astrology will usher in a new millennium of broader acceptance of astrology while the skeptics are fuming. Only the stars can predict how Kepler's future will play out.

Mark G. Kuzyk is a professor and Associate Chair of physics at Washington State University.